[Album of Japan and return voyage].

The Far East. A charming collection of photographs, heightened in hand-colour, of Nikko and Kyoto in the Meiji era. The final six photographs are made up of one of Honolulu and five of the Canadian Rockies.

Japan had only opened up to the West following the Convention of Kanagawa in 1854 and the Boshin War of 1868-9 delayed any considerable interest from Europeans until the start of the Meiji period. By the mid to late Meiji period wealthy European tourists started to appear more readily and the attitudes of Japan shifted to capitalise on the growing interest. In 1907 the Hotel Development Law allowed the construction of publicly owned hotels and in 1912 the Japan Travel Bureau was established. Luxurious hotels had already started to cater to Western tastes: the Yaami Hotel in Kyoto (pl.30) was built in 1879 by Inoue Manchiku and renovated into the Western style as seen in the photograph in this album sometime in 1894.

Oblong 4to (280 by 390mm); 42 albumen prints mounted on card, 36 of which hand-coloured (Japan), all approximately 210 by 280mm, occassional touch of marginal fading; contemporary gilt ruled half morocco, cloth boards, scuffing to corners and spine, a very good copy.